Over 120 searches and 110 suspicions: Ukraine conducted a large-scale operation to uncover tax evasion schemes

As part of the sixth phase of Operation Guardian, law enforcement officers have uncovered new facts of evasion from military service in Ukraine. Based on the results of investigative actions, suspicions were declared against 110 servicemen and civilians.

This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine.

Operatives of the Department of Strategic Investigations and investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, together with the State Bureau of Investigation and internal security officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have documented dozens of episodes of the use of forged documents to evade military service. These include falsified medical certificates and documents about the alleged need to care for people with disabilities.

It is noted that these documents were submitted by the defendants to the authorized bodies to obtain deferrals from mobilization or early termination of military service. In a number of cases, inspections showed that the persons allegedly cared for did not have an established disability or did not require constant supervision.

Law enforcement officers also established facts of submitting false information about the health of men of draft age. In some episodes, servicemen, using fictitious certificates, not only terminated their service, but also illegally received payments stipulated by law.

One of the documented cases concerns a 34-year-old resident of Odessa, who was discharged from service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine based on the conclusion of a military medical commission on his unfitness for health reasons. After that, he received the legally stipulated payments and registered guardianship over his mother-in-law, who was diagnosed with a disability group during the same period. During the pre-trial investigation, it turned out that there were no real medical grounds for the discharge from service, and the submitted documents contained inaccurate information.

As part of the operation, police conducted 128 searches of the suspects’ residences and vehicles in 20 regions of Ukraine and in the city of Kyiv. During the searches, cash, mobile phones, computer equipment, medical stamps, medical documentation with signs of fictitiousness, and draft notes were seized.

Based on the evidence collected, police investigators have charged 110 servicemen and civilians. The actions of the suspects are classified under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 2 and Part 3 of Article 332 — illegal smuggling of persons across the state border of Ukraine;
• Part 5 of Article 407 – unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service;
• Part 4 of Article 409 – evasion of military service by self-mutilation or other means;
• Part 1 of Article 336 – evasion of conscription during mobilization;
• Part 3 and Part 4 of Article 358 – forgery of documents and their use;
• Part 1 of Article 190 — fraud.

The National Police emphasizes that Operation Guardian continues as a comprehensive long-term initiative. Currently, law enforcement officers continue to collect evidence, take measures to cancel illegally obtained deferrals and dismissals, as well as to bring those involved to criminal responsibility.

By the way, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine exposed and eliminated a large-scale mobilization evasion scheme in Kyiv.

Previously, the SBU, together with the National Police, eliminated three more schemes for illegal mobilization evasion and detained four organizers of the transactions in different regions of the country.

As a reminder, in December, the SBU and the National Police exposed eight more organizers of mobilization evasion schemes in various regions of Ukraine. The dealers issued fake medical certificates or smuggled men abroad in exchange for large bribes.

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